Readying a Spell and Breaking Concentration

[the Jester]

So this came up in conversation last night, though it didn't come up in play.

Readying a spell uses the caster's concentration. By the RAW, you also expend the slot in question when you take the Ready action.

So what happens if you take damage while readying a spell? Do you have to make a save to maintain your concentration? If not, do you lose your readied action?

I don't think I have every heard about this coming up in play or even seen the topic discussed. What do you guys think?

 

[5ekyu]

So this came up in conversation last night, though it didn't come up in play.

Readying a spell uses the caster's concentration. By the RAW, you also expend the slot in question when you take the Ready action.

So what happens if you take damage while readying a spell? Do you have to make a save to maintain your concentration? If not, do you lose your readied action?

I don't think I have every heard about this coming up in play or even seen the topic discussed. What do you guys think?

The answer is YES... while you have a spell readied and held, you are concentrating and if you take damage you can lose it.

"To be readied, a spell must have a casting time of 1 action, and holding onto the spell's magic requires concentration (explained in chapter 10). If your concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect. For example, if you are concentrating on the web spell and ready magic missile, your web spell ends, and if you take damage before you release magic missile with your reaction, your concentration might be broken."

 

[Oofta]

I agree with [MENTION=6919838]5ekyu[/MENTION]. It doesn't come up often but it has happened in our games now and then.

 

[5ekyu]

"readying a spell" itself doesn't come up that often in our games - when it does its usually a cantrip - due to the lose the spent slot issue.

the biggest exception is the "ready for immediate use" kind of deal where you say ready behind cover/concealment and move out to release (to prevent counter-spell or some reactions to "casting" for instance) or perhaps when you ready for quick support like a "call down the fog" where the sorcerer readies the fog cloud waiting for one of her teammates to use their interaction on their turn to call for it - allowing say the ally to close, do their strikes and call for fog before backing away so that the fog hides them from AO.

But i so rarely see any sort of more longer "ready spell" even tried when its at risk of being hammered.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

So what happens if you take damage while readying a spell? Do you have to make a save to maintain your concentration? If not, do you lose your readied action?

Yes and yes.

It's come up once at my table in the entire time I've been playing 5E. In that case the player made the Constitution save so losing the slot wasn't an issue.

 

[Les Moore]

IMO, it depends on the experience of the caster, and the difficulty of the spell. If it's a level 7 Mage casting a level 2 spell, no charge.
If it's a Level 4 Wizard casting a new, Level4 spell, that's going to at least get a concentration check.

 

[Rya.Reisender]

ready behind cover/concealment and move out to release

Actually that doesn't even work because a ready action can only be either movement or action, not both.

Yeah, ready action is rarely used and readying a spell is even more rare. Though I definitely make my NPCs use it against annoying PCs that keep running behind full cover, thinking they're invincible.

 

[Blue]

Actually that doesn't even work because a ready action can only be either movement or action, not both.

Yeah, ready action is rarely used and readying a spell is even more rare. Though I definitely make my NPCs use it against annoying PCs that keep running behind full cover, thinking they're invincible.

I'm not the original poster, but from what I think they are describing it works fine.

During my turn I start behind full cover with no line of sight between me and the foe. I ready a spell at this point - casting it while a foe with counterspell does not have line of sight. My trigger is when I move out of cover. That's my Action.

I use some of my movement to come out cover.

At this point my trigger goes off, and I chose to use my Reaction (which you can do on your own turn) to release the spell. Since it's already cast, the foe with counterspell can't stop it.

(Optional) I use more of my movement to move back into full cover, breaking line of sight again.

 

[Oofta]

I'm not the original poster, but from what I think they are describing it works fine.

During my turn I start behind full cover with no line of sight between me and the foe. I ready a spell at this point - casting it while a foe with counterspell does not have line of sight. My trigger is when I move out of cover. That's my Action.

I use some of my movement to come out cover.

At this point my trigger goes off, and I chose to use my Reaction (which you can do on your own turn) to release the spell. Since it's already cast, the foe with counterspell can't stop it.

(Optional) I use more of my movement to move back into full cover, breaking line of sight again.

I've done/seen this as well. You lose your reaction for the round, but that's better than being countered. Well, at least until you try it a second time and the enemy caster has disintegrate readied when you pop out.

 

[5ekyu]

Actually that doesn't even work because a ready action can only be either movement or action, not both.

Yeah, ready action is rarely used and readying a spell is even more rare. Though I definitely make my NPCs use it against annoying PCs that keep running behind full cover, thinking they're invincible.

On my turn, i am in the open but cover is close by...
i step behind the cover and ready-cast my spell
then i step out still on my turn and the spell releases as the condition trigger is met,

readying a spell uses your action - does not end your turn or anything else.

So, you know, it works just fine barring some GM house ruling it.

Thanks for posting.